The Vanishing Man eBook

The hansom that bowled along eastward—­at
most unnecessary speed—­bore two of the
happiest human beings within the wide boundaries of
the town. I looked at my companion as the lights
of the street shone into the cab, and was astonished
at the transformation. The pallor of her cheek
had given place to a rosy pink; the hardness, the
tension, the haggard self-repression that had aged
her face, were all gone, and the girlish sweetness
that had so bewitched me in the early days of our love
had stolen back. Even the dimple was there when
the sweeping lashes lifted and her eyes met mine in
a smile of infinite tenderness. Little was said
on that brief journey. It was happiness enough
to sit, hand clasped in hand, and know that our time
of trial was past; that no cross of Fate could ever
part us now.

The astonished cabman set us down, according to instructions,
at the entrance to Nevill’s Court, and watched
us with open mouth as we vanished into the narrow
passage. The court had settled down for the night,
and no one marked our return; no curious eye looked
down on us from the dark house-front as we said “Good-bye”
just inside the gate.

“You will come and see us to-morrow, dear, won’t
you?” she asked.

“Do you think it possible that I could stay
away, then?”

“I hope not. But come as early as you can.
My father will be positively frantic to see you; because
I shall have told him, you know. And, remember,
that it is you who have brought us this great deliverance.
Good night, Paul.”

“Good night, sweetheart.”

She put up her face frankly to be kissed and then
ran up to the ancient door; whence she waved me a
last good-bye. The shabby gate in the wall closed
behind me and hid her from my sight; but the light
of her love went with me and turned the dull street
into a path of glory.

CHAPTER XIX

A STRANGE SYMPOSIUM

It came upon me with something of a shock of surprise
to find the scrap of paper still tacked to the oak
of Thorndyke’s chambers. So much had happened
since I had last looked on it that it seemed to belong
to another epoch of my life. I removed it thoughtfully
and picked out the tack before entering, and then,
closing the inner door, but leaving the oak open,
I lit the gas and fell to pacing the room.

What a wonderful episode it had been! How the
whole aspect of the world had been changed in a moment
by Thorndyke’s revelation! At another time,
curiosity would have led me to endeavour to trace back
the train of reasoning by which the subtle brain of
my teacher had attained this astonishing conclusion.
But now my own happiness held exclusive possession
of my thoughts. The image of Ruth filled the field
of my mental vision. I saw her again as I had
seen her in the cab with her sweet, pensive face and
downcast eyes; I felt again the touch of her soft
cheek and the parting kiss by the gate, so frank and
simple, so intimate and final.